


Amber In a Crystal Glass

by snarkasaurus



Category: Leverage
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-28
Updated: 2012-12-28
Packaged: 2017-11-22 19:15:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/613304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkasaurus/pseuds/snarkasaurus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eliot makes dinner, and Nate has thoughts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Amber In a Crystal Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Written for fangirl2323 for the multifandom_exchange on LJ. I hope this works for you!! I tried to get them to actually _do_ something, but they were insistent on this. Imagine that, after dinner, they went and had some fun.

Nate stared at the crystal high ball glass in front of him, glowing amber with the liquid inside. It was good scotch--of course it was good scotch, why would it be anything else?--but he had no taste for it tonight, and he wasn't entirely sure why. It was something about the way it made him feel that he didn't want to consider tonight. Muzzy headed, faded around the edges, slightly removed from reality... something he didn't really want, that was all he could say. 

He didn't know why. It wasn't like his conscience was pricking him or anything. How many times had Nate ignored it in favor of that disconnect? 

He wondered if it had something to do with the man currently cooking him dinner. With Eliot in the kitchen cooking, Nate found himself wanting to be completely alert and aware. 

This wasn't anything unusual. Not in the sense that it didn't ever happen. Eliot made dinner for at least one member of the team four or five nights a week. He claimed it was easier to cook for at least two, and said he wasn't a huge fan of leftovers. 

Hardison said he had a guilt complex, and was trying to make up for all of the things he'd done in his past. He was very careful to never say that in Eliot's hearing, though. 

Tonight, it was just Nate and Eliot. This had been happening more and more, and Nate wasn't entirely sure he knew what to do with it. It wasn't a bad thing, by any means, it was just... 

"Quit thinkin'," Eliot said, coming out of the kitchen carrying two small plates. "I can hear you all the way over there."

Nate raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, you can't hear anyone thinking," he pointed out. 

"You think loud," Eliot said, and set the plates down in front of Nate. Sitting on the bright white surfaces were two delicious looking appetizers, little bite sized arrangements that looked incredibly appealing. 

"What did you bring me?" Nate asked, examining them with some delight. 

Eliot pointed to the first plate. "This is just stuffed mushrooms, but I did it with cream cheese and bacon, a little caramelized onion, garlic, parmesan cheese. Simple, but I love how savory they come out." 

Nate picked up one and popped it into his mouth. The mushroom cap burst with flavor, filling his mouth with savory juices, creamy cheese, smoky bacon, and sweet onions and garlic. He groaned with pleasure, and nodded his approval as he chewed. 

Eliot gave him a tiny smile, and pointed at the second plate. "This is something lighter. Mini mozzarella balls, wrapped in some basil leaves, a sun dried tomato, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt." He picked up one by it's skewer and put it into his mouth, sighing with contentment. 

Nate blinked. "It's like a tiny caprese salad, all by itself!" he said, delighted. He loved caprese salad. It's elegant simplicity spoke to him. He took one, biting into it, and closed his eyes with a hum of happiness. The sweet-tang-zip of the sun dried tomato melted into the warmth of the basil and the creaminess of the mozerella just perfectly. The salt and the olive oil supported the whole thing, accentuating the flavors, and making Nate wish he could have this taste in his mouth forever. 

"Eliot, you're a genius," Nate pronounced, taking another of the little salad skewers, and then another couple of mushrooms. 

Eliot shrugged, and looked his usual stoic self, but Nate could see the smile lurking at the corners of his mouth, the pleasure in his eyes. 

"Just trying some of the simpler recipes I haven't pulled out in a while," he said. "Sometimes, those are the ones I like best, but i don't get to do them very often." 

Nate nodded, mouth full of mushroom. Eliot snorted at him, and grabbing another skewer for himself, stood again. "I'll be back with the main course," he said, and headed back into the kitchen. 

Nate munched his way through the rest of the appetizers, watching what he could see of Eliot through the pass through. There was the absolutely perfect amount on the plates to take the edge off his hunger and not fill him up too much. 

 

He watched the deft knife work, the flipping of vegetables in a pan, the stirring of various pots and pans with a grace and ease that was unique to Eliot. It was present when he was working, whether it was to lift something or to beat the crap out of a bad guy, and it was always obvious in the kitchen. It was a treat to watch him, one that Nate relished. 

The crystal tumbler had been nudged over to the side by the time Nate looked back down at the table. He studied it, marveling at the way the light hit it, reflecting on the table in a warm glow. he reached out and lifted it, and took a sip. It rolled across his tongue, melting in with all the other flavors still lingering in his mouth, adding the smokey burn of scotch. It was delicious. 

Eliot dropped a pot into the sink, dragging Nate's attention back toward the kitchen. He could see two plates sitting on the counter, a pile of green spears that could be green beans or asparagus, Nate couldn't tell from this angle and distance, and a pile of creamy white something that was most likely risotto, given the way Eliot had been treating one particular pan. 

Eliot was bent over at the moment, taking something out of a cabinet before straightening and heading for the ovens set into the wall. On his hands were oven mitts, and he used them to pull a tray out of the oven. resting on the hot metal surface was a fish, coated in herbs and smelling tantalizingly good. 

Nate watched, fascinated, as Eliot made short work of flaking the meat off the fish, putting it on the plates, and arranging it attractively. It never failed to entertain and impress Nate just how much Eliot loved the kitchen and how good he was in it. 

"Baked salmon in dill, lemon, salt, and parsley, on a bed of risotto with steamed green beans and a hollandaise sauce," Eliot announced, carrying the plates in, along with a dish of pale yellow liquid. 

"Hollandaise on green beans?" Nate asked, peering down at the plate. "Really" 

"Yeah. Try it before you knock it," Eliot grumbled ,looking ever so slightly apprehensive. For Eliot, that was a massive case of the nerves, and Nate took a bite accordingly. 

He paused. Chewed. Took another bite, and chewed it. Eliot tried to look as though he didn't care, but Nate could see the tension in his shoulders. "Oh my god," Nate finally managed, chewing a bite of the salmon. "Eliot. Eliot, how..."

Eliot raised an eyebrow "So...you like it?" he asked, insecurity hiding in sarcasm. 

"I love it," Nate said, eating another bite of the risotto. It was cooked perfectly, creamy and thick, the rice soft and flavorful. The whole thing was amazing. "Your talent is almost unfair."

Eliot ducked his head at that, and there was no more conversation for a few minutes while they both made inroads to their meal. Nate was a surprised at how fast his food disappeared, looking a little startled when he speared his last green beans. 

"Is there more?" he asked, and ate another bite of salmon. 

Eliot snorted. "Yeah, there is. Hilarious, considering your reaction to it in the first place," he said, standing and retrieving the requested vegetable. 

Nate hummed happily, and next to him, his glass remained full to the exact same level it had been when he started. No scotch needed.


End file.
